Chapter 227 - Do That Trick Again
"Information Exchange?" Lilith's expression abruptly changed and began to look at Leon with alarm. "What do you want to know?"
Leon smiled helplessly at Lilith's wariness.
"There's no need to be this alarmed, right? From what I understand, the Beast Race is far stronger than humanity. Just one beast tribe is enough to make humanity struggle on the edges of extinction, yet there should be countless beast tribes spread across the Wildlands, right?"
Lilith nodded before Leon continued, "Even if all the human kingdoms united, we don't stand much of a chance against the overwhelming numbers and power of the beast race. Thus, we wouldn't be able to do much even if we learned about the Wildlands, don't you agree?"
"That's right."
"So, I don't understand why you are so guarded against sharing information with me. It's not like you would become the sinner of the Wildlands, right? And in exchange, I will share my knowledge of the ancient civilization."
Lilith ruminated over Leon's words with a thoughtful expression. She was tempted by Leon's proficiency in the ancient language.
However, there was a reason why she feared humans learning too much. But at the same time, what Leon said did make some sense. She shook her head with a wry smile. Perhaps, she was just too paranoid.
"You seem to be looking down on your own race a tad too much. Your race is much fiercer than you think, and our race is also not as united as you think."
Leon smiled, seeing that he had got her to start speaking. At the same time, he nodded in agreement to the latter half of what she said. He had expected this to be the case.
The beast kingdom operated by the law of the jungle. It was in their blood to fight, kill, consume, and grow stronger. He could imagine the beasts grew strong by constantly waging battles among themselves and between tribes.
He already understood this from the nature of the beasts within the Divine Realm, thus what he wanted to know wasn't the beasts' situation in the Wildlands, nor their strengths.
Because no matter how strong they were, he just had to grow even stronger. He had that potential and so did the rest of humanity. After all, humans were one of the ruling races of the Divine Realm.
What he really wanted to understand was the situation of the humans within the Wildlands.
Logically speaking, the humans left behind during the Cataclysm should have all become food for the beasts, but considering the beastkins are doing quite well in the Wildlands, it means that the humans there should be doing well too.
From what Leon understood of the beast race from the Divine Realm, they were all quite prideful. If all the humans of Gaia were really as weak as they believed, they would have never been willing to mix their blood with a lower lifeform and allowed the beastkins to rise above them.
Unless of course, this was not true. Leon was able to confirm that it was really the case from Lilith's own words. However, there was something she was mistaken about. Leon shook his head and laugh.
"I don't look down on humans specifically. I simply despise human nature, but never mind that. From what you said, there seems to be a group of especially powerful humans living in the Wildlands?"
"Not a group, but an entire tribe. We call them the Barbarian Tribe."
Seeing Leon was unwilling to elaborate on the topic of why he despises human nature, she chose not to pry and simply answered his question.
"Barbarian Tribe?" Leon mused over her words and seemed thought of something before asking, "Are the humans from the Barbarian Tribe all taller than 8ft and have monstrous physiques?"
"Yes. How do you know that? Have you been to the Wildlands before?" Lilith gaped in surprise, but she soon realizes how stupid her question was.
If Leon had been to the Wildlands before, why would he still need to ask her about it? But then, how does he know about the Barbarian Tribe?
Truth be told, that was her misperception. He did not know about the Barbarian Tribe, he only guessed what kind of humans came from that tribe.
In Leon's knowledge, humans who have grown over 8ft and have monstrous physiques were all survivors of extreme conditions. In the Divine Realm, they were called the Warring Race, but here, they are probably just called barbarians, hence the name Barbarian Tribe.
Leon guessed that humans from the Barbarian Tribe evolved into the Warring Race after dancing in the palms of life and death with the beast race every day.
Humans were the weakest race at birth. They were born with nothing and had to be cared for and taught for many years before they were capable of surviving on their own, while beasts instinctively knew how to hunt with the claws and fangs they were equipped with at birth. If not for the existence of cultivation, humanity would never have stood a chance.
But why were humans, who were the weakest, also the one who is most attuned with the universe and had the greatest potential? Because just as the universe was born from nothing, they too, with nothing, can become anything.
He did not explain how he knew about the barbarians and reminded, "So we are both in agreement to the alliance, yes?"
Hearing Leon's reminder, she soon lost interest in how he knew and was more interested in the knowledge he would share in exchange for the information she provided.
"Yes, that's right. Isn't that why I spoke a bit about the Wildlands so far? Isn't it time you uphold your end of the bargain and share your knowledge of the ancient civilization? Just saying now, I want to learn their language and be able to speak fluently like you, alright?"
Lilith said with a clenched fist with a fierce but cute expression that implied that they would have a fall out if he provides her with cheap knowledge. She wants the whole package!
Leon did not know whether to laugh or cry. Just for that bit of information, she wanted to learn the entire ancient language from him?
Once she learns the language, she would be able to retrieve the lost technology from any relics of the ancient civilization in her possession. This exchange did not seem fair. At least, she should speak about the Wildlands a bit more.
After a short moment, Leon put on a sly smile and said, "You didn't say you agree to the alliance until now so I am not obligated to uphold my end of the bargain and share my knowledge with you. The information you provided me until now was of your own free will. It was not part of the exchange."
Lilith froze before her body began to shake with anger.
"You! Are you kidding me?! How can you be so shameless!" Lilith pointed her finger at him and said angrily.
She was beginning to understand why he despises human nature because she too was beginning to despise it!
Leon laughed and said, "I was talking to Elder Evergreen about learning the Gaian language before, while I am also preparing to teach my people the Ancient language in return to establish communication between our two sides. Alright, you can sit in and learn along with them once I prepare the learning materials."
"Hmph! That's better." Lilith nodded triumphantly, but she soon realized something was off.
"No, that's not right. Why do I have to sit in and learn? Can't you do that trick again? C'mon, here, poke me again." Lilith offered her forehead to him.
"Ah!"
She exclaimed when Leon poked her forehead with a bit of force, but nothing special seemed to have happened. She looked at Leon with confusion, it soon turned to anger when she saw his playful smile.
"You! Are you playing me!?" Lilith pouted while stamping her feet.
"You told me to poke you, so poked you, I did."
Leon responded nonchalantly while pretending to be dumb.
"You! Argh, you are driven mad!"
Seeing that he was going too far with his teasing, he finally stopped before Lilith completely snap for real.
"Hahaha, alright, alright. Don't be angry, okay? It's might my mistake."
Leon said and transmitted some of the information to her. The ancient language wasn't something that can be transmitted all at once. The language was quite broad. It would overload her brain.
This was different from transmitting tier 3 alchemy knowledge to his disciple that he picked up on a whim. He had only transmitted some techniques, basic herbal understanding, and a few pill recipes to his disciple.
After all, his disciple did not need to learn every single pill formula between tier 1 to tier 3 in his arsenal to qualify as a Tier 3 Grandmaster Alchemist. The only prerequisite for being an alchemist of a tier is to be able to refine a pill of that respective tier.
This is because higher tier pills are harder to refine. But once an alchemist is able to refine it, the lower tier pills would be easier for them to refine.
It wasn't a big deal to Leon whether Lilith learns the ancient language or not. Because even if she can use the lost technology from the relics, he had already inherited how to reproduce them and so much more.
In a way, it was like eating all the meat and giving her the bones. Of course, this cannot be said out loud, lest he incurs her wrath.
Leon turned his attention back to Elder Evergreen, seeing Lilith had become quiet while trying to digest the information transmitted to her.
"Is there a spare room I can use?"
The Old Treant was about to respond when he was interrupted by a timely knock from outside.
"What is it?" Leon called out.
"Report to your Highness, we have reached the surface."